Trump threatens to cut funding for South Africa over land policy

Former US President Donald Trump has announced plans to halt all future funding to South Africa, citing allegations that the country is seizing land and mistreating certain groups of people.

This follows the signing of a bill by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa last month, which permits land confiscation without compensation under specific conditions.

Land ownership in South Africa has remained a contentious issue, with most private farmland still in the hands of white people, nearly 30 years after the end of apartheid. There have been ongoing calls for the government to address land reform and rectify the lingering injustices of racial segregation.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to Donald Trump's comments on X, asserting that South Africa is a constitutional democracy grounded in the rule of law, justice, and equality. He clarified that the government had not confiscated any land. Ramaphosa also noted that the only funding South Africa receives from the U.S. is through the Pepfar health initiative, which supports 17% of the country's HIV/AIDS program.

According to U.S. government data, the U.S. allocated about $440 million in aid to South Africa in 2023. Elon Musk, a South African-born entrepreneur and advisor to Trump, joined the debate, criticizing the new land law as discriminatory toward white people. Musk posted on X, questioning why South Africa has "openly racist ownership laws."

Trump responded on his social media platform, Truth Social, announcing he would cut all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation into the land issue is conducted. In a later briefing with journalists, Trump described South Africa's leadership as engaging in "horrible things" and stated that they were "taking away land" and potentially doing things "far worse."

The new law, signed by Ramaphosa, permits land expropriation without compensation only under certain conditions, such as when the land is unutilized, unproductive, or poses a risk to the public. Previously, land reform was conducted under a "willing seller, willing buyer" approach, which many argued slowed the process.

Critics worry that the law could lead to economic damage similar to Zimbabwe, where land seizures led to a collapsed economy and deterred investors. AfriForum, a group focused on the rights of South Africa's white Afrikaner population, has called for changes to the law to protect property rights but disagreed with Trump's threat to cut funding, suggesting that punitive actions should be directed at senior ANC leaders instead.

During his first term, Trump also criticized South Africa over land reform, asking then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to investigate farm seizures and the killings of farmers. At the time, South Africa dismissed Trump’s claims, accusing him of being "misinformed" and attempting to stir division.